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Concerning Divers Notable 

Stirs between Sir Edward 

Coke and his Lady 



JESSE TURNER 



Reprint from American Law Review 

Vol. LI., Number 6 

November- December. 1917 



Concerning Divers Notable 

Stirs between Sir Edward 

Coke and his Lady 



JESSE TURNER 



Reprint from American Law Reriew 

Vol. LL. Number 6 

November-December, 1917 



-^ 



©GLA404GU? 



APR !5iSIB 



A-v I 



Concerning Divers Notable Stirs between 
Sir Edward Coke and His Lady 

''This suit, happily for Bacon, was unsuccessful. The 
lady was indeed kind to him in more ways than one. She 
rejected him, and she accepted his enemy. She married 
that narrow-minded, bad hearted pedant. Sir Edward 
Coke, and did her best to make him as miserable as he de- 
served to be. ' ' 

Thus, without descending into particulars, and with 
characteristic epigramatic pungency, writes Macaulay.^ 

In the following pages I shall, by way of short commen- 
tary on the Essayist's summary judgment, relate several 
episodes in the internecine wars waged for so many years 
between Sir Edward Coke and his spouse. 

But first, as is meet, the Lady. 

She was a daughter of Sir Thomas Cecil, the eldest son 
of the great Lord Burghley. 

She had married Sir William Hatton, the nephew and 
heir of Queen Elizabeth's dancing lover. Lord Chancellor 
Hatton. At twenty, she became a widow. She possessed, 
in large degree, wit, beauty and worldly fortune. A pro- 
digiously violent temper possessed her.^ 

Soon Bacon, her cousin, then in debt and with somewhat 
dubious prospects, appeared in the offing. At the same 
time, his implacable foe, the ferocious Coke, now a wid- 
ower, hove in sight and ("two souls with but a single 
thought!") they both simultaneously bore down on the 
rich argosy. 

1 In his Essay on Lord Bacon. King in 1607, she was one of the 

2 When Ben Jonson's "Masque of fifteen Court Beauties who, with the 
Beauty" was played before the Queen, appeared in the show. 

(Copyright 1917, by Jesse Turner.) 



—2— 

Bacon was warmly supported by the graceful and gra- 
cious Essex. Not only this: Coke was handicapped by 
'seven weighty objections: his six children and him self.' 

But Bacon must have labored under still more formid- 
able disabilities. For does not all the world now know 
that he has written? 

"Amongst all the great and worthy persons whereof the 
memory remaineth, either ancient or recent, there is not 
one that hath been transported to the mad degree of love 
— ^which shows that great spirits and great business do 
keep out this weak passion. There was never proud man 
thought so absurdly well of himself as the lover doth of 
the person loved, and therefore, it is well said that it is 
impossible to love and be wise." 

A laggard in love was not to the liking of the spirited 
and capricious Lady Hatton, and, so, it came to pass that 
she settled the business by running off with the old wid- 
ower and by contracting a clandestine marriage with him, 
against which the Ecclesiastical Court thundered savagely. 

''But can you affection the *oman"? inquired Sir Hugh 
Evans of Slender; and Slender answered unto him: **If 
there be no great love in the beginning, yet heaven may 
decrease it upon better acquaintance, when we are married 
and have more occasion to know one another." 

Thus it turned out to be with Coke and his wife. 

"For silence and chaste reserve is woman's genuine 
praise, and to remain quiet within the house." So wrote, 
and so thought, "Sad Electra's poet," for he, too, had his 
matrimonial infelicities. Not so thought Lady Hatton. 
Far from it. She declined to take her husband's name, for 
he was not yet knighted, and had she done so, she would 
have been plain Mrs. Coke. After the birth of their daugh- 
ter, they lived little together, and when the child reached 
what passed for a marriageable age, the bickerings of the 
couple increased and soon attained a scandalous and pre- 
eminent place in the public eye and ear. The maiden, the 
Lady Frances by name, was now fourteen; pretty, and 



what was of deeper significance, was, by reason of lier 
mother's estate being largely entailed on her, a rich 
heiress. 

In addition, this little Lady of great expectations, would, 
it might reasonably be assumed, some day come in for a 
generous portion of her father's vast wealth. 

Now, it so happened that, at this conjuncture, still an- 
other lady, — a lady of distinguished histrionic gifts, ap- 
peared on the scene and began to play her part. 

This was none other than Lady Compton, a most pic- 
turesque figure and a decidedly variagated character; *a 
busy, intriguing, masculine and dangerous person;' not 
deficient in beauty and not averse to the judicious bestowal 
of personal favors. According to one account, she had 
been a kitchen-maid in the establishment of old Sir George 
Villiers, who, after the death of his wife, presented her 
with twenty pounds to improve her dress, and who, being 
of opinion that fine feathers make fine birds, forthwith 
proceeded to marry her. Weldon, not so harsh, styles her 
**a gentlewoman whom the old man fell in love with and 
married." Wilson says that Sir George was on a visit to 
his kinswoman, Lady Beaumont, where he found **a young 
gentlewoman of that name, allied, and yet a servant to the 
family." 

At any rate, her name was Beaumont and she married 
Sir George Villiers, who died leaving her a young widow 
with several children. One of these was George, now the 
Duke of Buckingham, and the Favorite of King James. 
With the rapid rise of her son George, Lady Compton came 
to be a very formidable power and she is reported to have 
been the dispenser of much of the immense patronagle 
which the Duke controlled. 

Clarendon says that by her 'singular care and affection 
h6r son George was trained in those accomplishments 
which befitted his natural grace,' and that for his mother 
he 'had ever a most profound reverence,' and for her, 
when he deemed she had suffered a slight from Henrietta 



Maria, he had come 'into the Queen's chamber in much 
passion,' and had told her 'she should "repent of it,' and 
that 'there had been Queens in England who had lost their 
heads. '^ 

Lady Compton's eldest son was John — Sir John Villiers. 

Now, Sir John was desperately impecunious, and, ac- 
cordingly, his enterprising mother had fixed her acquisitive 
eye on the Lady Fran'ces. Consequently, Sir John had, here- 
tofore, sought her in marriage. Her father, at that time 
Chief Justice, and in the hey-day of his power, had 
scorned the match. But a great change had come. Coke 
had been deprived of his office under circumstances which 
did him infinite honor. He was shorn of power. Bacon 
was lord of the ascendant. Coke 's readiest way to recoup 
his fortunes was to gain the favor of Buckingham. 

Winwood, the Secretary of State, who had a crow to 
pick with Bacon, suggested to Coke that he bestow the Lady 
Frances on Sir John Villiers. Winwood found Coke now 
eager to dicker. 

The former Chief Justice might kill two birds with one 
stone ; he might regain his old place, and, at the same time, 
he might put his hated rival under his feet. 

Accordingly, be it said to his shame. Coke, without con- 
sulting either his amiable lady or his daughter, offered the 
young woman to Villiers. The circumspect Sir John re- 
plied that: "Although he would have been well pleased 
to have taken her in her smock, he should be glad, by way 
of curiosity, to know how much could be assured by mar- 
riage settlement upon her and her issue." 

Coke was loathe to fully satisfy Sir John's most delicate 
"curiosity," as may be gathered from Chamberlain's let- 

3 Lady Compton was married there is carved, as if by way of 

three times, her last husband be- chaUenge to envious detractors, 

ing Sir Thomas Compton, a rich these lines: "Descended from five 

country grazier. In 1618 she was of the most powerful Kings of Eu- 

created Ck)untes3 Buckingham in rope by so many direct descents," 

her own person. She died in 1632. "England Under the Stuarts." 

On her tomb in the chapel of St. Jesse, Vol. I, pp. 177-184. 
Nicholas, in Westminster Abbey, 



ter to Carleton:'' ''The Lord Coke is left in the suds, but 
sure it is God's doing according to the old saying, perdere 
quos vult Jupiter prius dementat. For, if he had had the 
grace to have taken hold of the match offered by Sir John 
Villiers, it is assuredly thought that, before this day, he 
had been Lord Chancellor. But, standing on terms to give 
but 10,000 Marks with his daughter, when £10,000 was de- 
manded, and sticking at £1,000 a year during her life 
(together with some idle words that he would not buy the 
King's favor too dear, being so uncertain and variable) he 
hath let slip the occasion." 

However, the trafficking still went briskly on ; and, about 
the middle of June, Winwood was able to report to Buck- 
ingham the ardent desire of Coke to be restored, to the 
King's favor ''without which he, at length, professed he 
could no longer breathe." 

A pact was speedily concluded under the terms of which 
Sir Edward's normal respiration was immediately re- 
sumed, and Sir John's "curiosity" was most handsomely 
satisfied to the tune of £10,000, coin of the realm. 

Meantime, the Kingdom was all agog over the matri- 
monial wranglings of Sir Edward and his Lady. 

There came, first, a spicy prolog-ue to the swelling act of 
the principal theme. 

"The Lady Hatton," writes the garrulous Rev. George 
Garrard,^ "accuses her husband by way of petition to the 
Council table for a contempt against the King in menacing 
her that if she set her hand unto those articles which the 
King hath commanded him and my Lord of Exeter, he 
would make himself whole, double and treble out of her 
estate. The business concerned Sir Rob. Rich and Sir Chr. 
Hatton. Upon the delivery of this petition. Sir Edward 
Coke was sent for before the Council. A day was ap- 
pointed for hearing of this business when I was present. 
It grieves me to hear such differences between man and 

* March 15, 1617. s To Carleton, June 4, 1617. 



wife; but counsel of both sides speaking, the business was 
extremely aggravated. She chargeth him of menacing her, 
of defeating her of her jointure; of having a propriety in 
her purchased land which he will not relinquish. His coun- 
sel make answer and charge her for having disfurnished 
and taken away out of three of his houses — all hangings, 
plate and household stuff, and also, that she gave him to 
his face, or by letter, these unfit words of false, treacherous 
villain. ' ' 

''The Lord Coke and his Lady have great wars at the 
Council Table." . . . ''What passed yesterday I know 
not yet. But the first time she came accompanied with 
the Lord Burghley and his Lady, the Lord Davers, the 
Lord Denny, Sir Thomas Howard and his Lady, with I 
know not how many more, and declaimed bitterly against 
him, and so carried herself that divers said Burbage^ could 
not have acted better. 



6 Richard Burbage was a famous 
actor and theatrical manager of the 
reigns of Elizabeth and James I. 

He was the son of James Bur- 
bage — ^also an actor of repute, and 
was born about 1567. After the 
death of Leicester, his company of 
actors became members of the Com- 
pany of the Lord Chamberlain — 
the chief group of actors of that 
day being divided into the two 
great companies belonging, respec- 
tively, to the Lord Chamberlain 
and the Lord Admiral. 

The Burbages were fellow towns- 
men of Shakespeare, and the 
younger Burbage was, for many 
years, intimately associated in a 
business and professional way with 
him. They and their associates 
built the Globe, and Burbage's 
name stands next to that of Shakes- 
peare in the licenses for acting 
granted to the company of the 
Globe theatre by James in 1603. 
Burbage has been handed down 
from generation to generation in 
theatrical tradition as typifying 
supreme histrionic excellence. What 
is actually known of him is gath- 



ered, mostly, from the elegies writ- 
ten on his death. Here is one — a 
veritable evocation of his great 
Shakespearian roles: 
"He's gone, and with him what a 

world are dead, 
Friends every one, and what a 

blank instead! 
Take him for all in all he was a 

man 
Not to be matched, and no age 

ever can. 
No more young Hamlet, though but 

scant of breath 
Shall cry, 'Revenge' for his dear 

father's death. 
Poor Romeo never more shall tears 

beget 
For Juliet's love and cruel Capulet: 
Harry shall not be seen as king or 

prince. 
They died with thee, dear Dick 

(and not long since), 
Not to revive again. Jeronimo 
Shall cease to mourn his son Ho- 
ratio; 
They cannot call thee from thy 

naked bed 
By horrid outcry; and Antonio's 



''Indeed, it seems he hath carried himself very simply 
(to say no more) in divers matters, and, no doubt, he shall 
be sifted thoroughly; for the King is much incensed 
against him still, and by his own weakness he hath lost 
those few friends he had."^^ 

The dispute was referred by the Council to the Lord 
Oarew and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and shortly 
after, Chamberlain records: ''Sir Edward Coke and his 
Lady after much animosity and wrangling are lately made 
friends; and his curst heart hath been forced to yield to 
more than ever he meant, but upon this agreement he flat- 
ters himself that she will prove a very good wife." 

But with hardly a breathing space, the couple were again 
at daggers points. The casus belli, this time, was the 
espousal of the Lady Frances to Sir John Villiers. The 
damsel, herself, seemed languidly acquiescent. Far other- 
wise, the mother. It is not probable that she ever was 
languid in anything. Certain it is, that, in this matter, she 



Edward shall lack a representative; 
And crookback, as befits, shall cease 

to live. 
Tyrant Macbeth, with unwashed 

bloody hand. 
We vainly now may hope to under- 
stand. 
Brutus and Marcius henceforth 

must be dumb, 
For ne'er thy like upon the stage 

shall come, 
To chain the faculties of ears and 

eyes, 
Unless we could command the dead 

to rise. 
Vindex is gone, and what a loss 

was he! 
Frankford, Brachiano and Malvole. 
Heart broken Philaster and Amin- 

tas too, 
Are lost forever; with the 

haired Jew, 
Which sought the bankrupt 

chant's pound of flesh, 
By woman-lawyer caught in 

own mesh. 
What a wide world was in that lit- 
tle space, 



red- 



mer- 



his 



Thyself a world — the Globe thy fit- 
test place! 

Thy stature small, but every 
thought and mood 

Might thoroughly from thy face be 
understood; 

And his whole action he could 
change with ease. 

From ancient Lear to youthful Per- 
icles. 

But let me not forget one chiefest 
part, 

Wherein, beyond the rest, he moved 
the heart; 

The grieved Moor, made jealous by 



Who sent his wife to fill a timeless 

grave. 
He slew himself upon a bloody bed. 
All these, and many more, are with 
him dead." 

Burbage died March 16, 1618-19. 
He was buried in the Church of St. 
Leonard's, Shoreditch. 

The brief and solemnly impres- 
sive inscription over his grave 
reads: 

Exit Burbage. 

6a Chamberlain to Carleton. 



was, not unreasonably, all aflame in open rebellion against 
her Liege Lord. 

One night at ten (it seems that the habit of Sir Edward 
was to go to bed at nine) Lady Hatton surreptitiously 
emerged from Hatton House, Holborn, with the Lady 
Frances. They entered a waiting coach, and by a cir- 
cuitous and obscure route, they reached, the next morning, 
a house of the Earl of Argyle at Oatlands, then occupied by 
their cousin. Sir Edmund Withipole. Here, they concealed 
themselves. While at Oatlands, Lady Hatton did every- 
thing in her power to prevent her daughter's marriage to 
Sir John Villiers, even going so far as to offer her to the 
young Earl of Oxford, and, in furtherance of the project, 
she actually exhibited to the Lady Frances a forged letter 
purporting to come from the Earl which declared that he 
loved her much and sought her hand. 

Meantime, Coke, learning ''with great cunning" where 
the fugitives were, procured a warrant from Sir Ralph 
Winwood to search for his daughter.'' 

Coke, accordingly, gathered together a band of armed 
men, — his sons, dependents and servants, and putting him- 
self with sword and pistols at their head, they marched to 
Oatlands. 

The party forced open the barricaded gate leading to 
the house, ''brake open divers doors," and, at last, found 
the wife and daughter secreted in a small closet. Without 
more ado. Coke seized Lady Frances, and carried her to 
his Stoke Pogis house, where she was locked in an upper 
chamber. In the wild chase on the return, "His Lady was 
at his heels, and if her coach had not tired in the pursuit 
after him, there were like to be strange tragedies."* 

' ' These eight or ten days here have been great stirs *twixt 
the L. Coke and his Lady," writes Chamberlain to 
Carleton." 



7 Lord Campbell says that Coke to take the law Into his own hands 

applied to the Privy Council for a « chamberlain to Carleton, July 

warrant, and there being some dif- 19, 1617. 

ficulty in obtaining it, he resolved sJuly 19, 1617. 



\ 



— 9— 

We have a lively account of an episode in one of these 
*' stirs" contained in a letter addressed to Mrs. Ann Sad- 
ler, a married daughter of Coke, now among the MSS. at 
Trinity College, Cambridge. Aifter an accident on the 
way, **at last," says the writer, *Ho my Lord Keeper's 
[Bacon] they [Lady Hatton and Lord Holies] "come, but 
could not have instant access to him for that his people 
said he was kid at rest, not being well. Then my La. Hat- 
ton desired she might be in the next room where my Lord 
lay, that she might be the first that spake with him after he 
was stirring. 

The door-keeper fulfilled her desire, and, in the mean- 
time, gave her a chair to rest herself in, and then left her 
alone ; but not long after, she rose up and bounced against 
my Lord Keeper's door, and waked him and affrighted him 
that he called his men to him; and they opening the door, 
she thrust in with them, and desired his Lp. to pardon her 
boldness, but she was like a cow that had lost her calf, and 
so justified, and pacified my Lord's anger, and got his war- 
rant and my Ld. Treasurer's warrant and others of the 
Council to fetch her daughter from the father and bring 
them both to the Council." 

Certain entries in the Council proceedings state that 
there was a petition delivered to them by ''the Lady Hatton 
complaining in somewhat a passionate and tragical man- 
ner" — of her husband's acts in and about the apprehen- 
sion of his daughter. The following Tuesday was ap- 
pointed for hearing Sir Edward Coke upon his wife's com- 
plaint. 

**The matter being thus ordered, we fell to other busi- 
ness, and while we were in dispatch thereon, the Lady Hat- 
ton came to the Council Chamber door, and desired to have 
access to the Board, which being admitted, she was told 
that order was taken concerning her petition; but she, 
making further instance, desired her daughter might be 
forthwith sent for in regard she was grown to that weak- 
ness by occasion of the violence and fright she had taken 



—10— 

as was with speed to be looked into for the safety of her 
life; and that, therefore, she might be brought to London 
that night and remain in some place where she might have 
such help by physic and attendance as were requisite for 
her preservation and recovery. Which being thought 
reasonable in humanity and for avoiding other incon- 
veniences, a letter was written from the Board to Sir 
Edward Coke acquainting him with his Lady's Complaint 
and desire, and requiring him to deliver his daughter to 
Mr. Edmonds, Clerk of the Council, to be brought by him to 
London and kept in his house until the hearing of the 
cause. ' ' 

Now, it seems that when the Clerk presented the letter 
on Sunday evening, Coke said it was late ; that his daugh- 
ter was in no such extremity; that **upon his peril he 
would deliver her at Mr. Edmonds' house the next morn- 
ing," but '^forebore" to do it then. 

Upon hearing this, the Board ''thinking their order 
neglected, and doubting whether he would keep promise 
gave warrant with a clause of assistance to bring her to 
Mr. Edmonds' house accordingly." 

Coke, however, did have his daughter forthcoming the 
next morning, and having brought her by a different road 
from that taken by the party with the warrant, a clash at 
arms was avoided. 

Grerrard, writing of the incident, says that there went 
forth with the warrant to meet the Lady Frances as she 
should come up in her coach, ''the Lord Haughton, Sir 
Edward Sackville, Sir Rob. Rich and others with three 
score men and pistols. They met her not; if they had, 
there had been a notable skirmish, for the Lady Compton 
was with Miss Frances in the coach, and there was Clem 
Coke, my Lord's fighting son;'" and they all swore they 

10 Of Sir Edward Coke's numer- at the beginning of the reign of 

ous sons by his first wife "none Charles I., in the debate on the im- 

gamed any distinction except peachment of Buckingham, had 

Clement, the sixth, who, being a the courage to use these words: 'it 

member of the House of Commons is better to die by an enemy than 



::^ 



—11— 

would die in the place before they would part with her.'* 

The bird having now been securely caged, the Council 
next took order to see that she was unmolested pending 
the disposition of her. ''We hearing that many friends 
resorted thither on both sides, and doubting some disorder, 
gave directions that she should be kept private until the 
hearing, which was the next day, and two gentlewomen 
only to be admitted to her company." 

At this hearing, Coke, answering his wife's petition, 
counter-charged. He accused her of an intention to carry 
his daughter into France in order to break oif the match 
with Villiers — but offered no proof in support of it. To the 
"riot and force" charge he did not plead warrant, but met 
it by the assertion that, by law, any father might, at his 
own discretion, break into anybody's house in search of 
his fugitive daughter. 

"Upon all which matter the Board thought fit that be- 
cause it appeared that so great a riot now in the King's 
absence, and by a person of that quality was fit to be pun- 
ished, the rather that he called no constable or other officer 
unto him, as confessed, but took upon him, being the party 
grieved, to be vindex doloris proprii, contrary to all gov- 
ernment. ' ' 

The Council, accordingly, directed the Attorney Greneral 
to prefer an information in the Court of Star Chamber 
against Coke ' ' for the force and riot used by him upon the 
house of Sir Edmund Withipole, to be in that Court heard 
and sentenced as justice shall appertain." 

"To prevent all new occasions of tumult or breach of 
peace" the Lady Frances was disposed of, first, in the 
house of the Attorney General and, afterwards, in Lord 
Knevett's house near Staines. Coke and his Lady were 
also enjoined to forbear all occasion of violence or dis- 

suffer at home,' for which there ting by his side and disdained to 
came a complaint from the crown, make any apology for him."— - 
and he would have been sent to the Campbell's "Lives of the Chief Jus- 
Tower but for the great respect for tices," Vol. I, p. 286. 
the Ex-Chief Justice who was sit- 



—12— 

turbance whatsoever, as well as touching the person of 
their daughter as any other matter or point concerning 
that business. 

King James and Buckingham were, during all this hurly- 
burly, absent in Scotland, and it never seems to have 
occurred to the members of the Council (Winwood alone 
excepted) that they were treading on very dangerous 
ground. 

If Winwood made no disclosure, it probably may be 
ascribed to his desire to see his hated enemy, Bacon, ride 
to his fall. Be this as it may, Bacon, usually so wary and 
worldly-wise, engrossed by the very human desire to 
thwart and defeat his ancient foe, was smitten at this con- 
juncture, with an almost fatal fatuity. 

Early in the action, he wrote Buckingham that ''Secre- 
tary Winwood hath officiously busied himself to make a 
match between your brother and Sir Edward Coke's 
daughter; and, as we hear, he doth it rather to make a 
faction than out of any great affection to your lordship. 
. . This match . . I hold very inconvenient both to 
your brother and yourself. First; He shall marry into 
a disgraced house, which in reason of state is never held 
good. 

Next, he shall marry into a troubled house of man and 
wife, which in religion and Christian discretion is disliked. 
Thirdty, Your Lordship will go near to lose all your friends 
as are adverse to Sir Edward Coke"— save (he hastens to 
add), himself. 

Bacon also says that the consummation of the match 
will ''cast the King back, and make him relapse into those 
inconveniences which are now well on to be recovered." 

The project, so he represented, had been "carried so 
harshly and inconsiderately by Secretary Winwood, as for 
doubt that the father would take away the maiden by force, 
the mother, to get the start, hath conveyed her away 
secretly." 



—13— 

But ere long, Bacon and his fellow Councillors awoke 
from their trance with a great start, and then followed a 
frantic scurrying to cover. 

The Council, now that the King's pleasure was known, 
obsequiously reversed itself. The Attorney General, at 
whose house the daughter had been under **a palliating 
agreement between Sir Edward Coke and his Lady," sent 
Lady Frances home to Hatton House with orders that the 
puissant Lady Compton and her son should have access "to 
win her and wear her," and applied himself assiduously to 
work a reconciliation between husband and wife. 

Lastly, the Council directed that the information and all 
other proceedings in the business be suspended and left 
wholly to the King's pleasure. 

Bacon still stood in evil case. Two weeks had now 
elapsed since he had written his meddling letter to Buck- 
ingham, and the ominous silence had not yet been broken. 

Finally, he mustered up courage to address the King. 

He hopes (such was the tenor of his letter) that, if there 
be any merit in drawing on the Coke-Villiers match, his 
Majesty would bestow the thanks ''not upon the zeal of 
Sir Edward Coke to please your Majesty," ''nor upon the 
eloquent persuasions or pragmaticals of Mr. Secretary 
Winwood, but upon them who, carrying Your conmiand- 
ments and directing with strength and justice . . have 
so humbled Sir Edward Coke as he seeks now that with 
submission which (as your Majesty knows) before he re- 
jected with scorn." 

He prays the King, if it be his resolution that the match 
go on, that he may receive his Majesty's commandments, 
"imagining with myself (though I will not wager upon 
women's minds) that I can prevail more with the mother 
than any other man." 

He assures his Majesty that his prerogative and author- 
ity have "risen some just degree above the horizon more 
than heretofore, which hath dispersed vapors. Your Judges 



—14— 

are in good temper. Your Justices of Peace, which is the 
body of the gentlemen of England, grow to be loving and 
obsequious and to be weary of the humor of ruffling. All 
mutinous spirits grow to be a little poor and to draw in 
their horns, and not the less for your Majesties disauthor- 
izing the man I now speak of." 

He fears him much, however, that Coke's coming in 
with the strength of such an alliance **will give a turn 
and a relapse in men's minds unto the former state of 
things hardly to be holpen to the great weakening of your 
Majesty's service." If Coke come in, his Majesty can 
hardly hope to go to Parliament with a United Council, 
not. Bacon hastens to add, ''for any difference of mine 
own, for I can be omnibus omnia for your Majesty's 
service," but because Coke "is by nature unsociable, and 
by habit popular, and too old now to take a new ply." 

Still no word from King or Favorite. 

Then Bacon dispatched two additional letters to Buck- 
ingham. At last, Buckingham answered, concluding with 
these uncomfortable words: ''In this business of my 
brother's that you over- trouble yourself with, I under- 
stand from London by some of my friends that you have 
carried yourself with much scorn and neglect both towards 
myself and friends, which if it prove true, I blame not you 
but myself." 

The correspondence of the King was stern and surly. 

"Every wrong," he wrote, "must be judged by the first 
violent and wrongous ground whereupon it proceeds, and 
was not the thef tous stealing away of the daughter from her 
own father the first ground whereupon it proceeds, and 
hath since proceeded? For the ground of her getting again 
came upon a lawful and ordinary warrant subscribed by 
one of our Council for redress of the former violence, and 
except the father of a child might be proved to be either 
lunatic or idiot, we never read in any law that either it 
could be lawful for any creature to steal his child from him 



—15— 

or that it was matter of noise and streperous carriage for 
him to hunt for the recovery of his child again. ' ' 

The King energetically defended Buckingham, and indig- 
nantly inveighed against what he was pleased to call a 
greater jealousy by Bacon of Buckingham than the Fav- 
orite had ''ever deserved at your or any man's hands." 

He heatedly repudiated the inference that ''we ever took 
upon us such a patrocing of Sir Edward Coke, as if he 
were a man not to be meddled withal in any case," but 
"whereas you talk of the riot and violence committed by 
him, we wonder you make no mention of the riot and 
violence of them that stole away his daughter which was 
the first ground of all this noise as we said before. " " The 
opposition, which we justly find fault with you, was the 
refusal to sign a warrant for the father to the recovery of 
his child, clad with these circumstances (as is reported) 
of your slight carriage to Buckingham's mother when she 
repaired to you upon so reasonable an errand." "First to 
make an opposition, and then to give advice by way of 
friendship, is to make the plough to go before the horse." 

Bacon remained persistently and abjectly penitent and 
so worked upon Buckingham's feelings that 'out of the 
sparks of his old affection' towards Bacon, the Favorite 
finally prevailed on his Majesty to abandon his expressed 
intention of 'putting some exemplary mark upon Bacon,* 
and, instead, the King stated that some of the particular 
errors committed in the business, he would specify, but 
without accusing any particular person by name. 

Bacon's effusive reply is addressed to "My Ever Best 
Lord, Now Better than Yourself." "Your Lordship's 
pen, or rather pencil," he writes, "hath portrayed towards 
me such magnanimity and nobleness and true kindness as 
methinketh I see the image of some ancient virtue, and not 
anything of these times." 

He counts himself "happy by this reviver, through his 



—16— 

Majesty's singular clemency and your incomparable love 
and favor." 

And this unutterable sycophancy, this grotesque mas- 
querading of the none too savory ''Stennie" in 'Hhe image 
of some ancient virtue"— all this only to be presently 
hurled from his high place for bribe taking! 

On Michaelmas day, the marriage of the Lady Frances 
and Sir John Villiers was celebrated at Hampton Court 
in the presence of the King and Queen and a most dis- 
tinguished company. 

A banquet and a masque were features of the occasion. 
Lady Hatton was conspicuously absent. The game had 
gone against her. She had not succeeded in preventing the 
marriage, and she had failed in her endeavors to have her 
husband punished. Nay more. Coke was, true to his nature, 
vengeful. ' * I have, ' ' he wrote Buckingham, ' * full cause to 
bring all the confederates into the Star Chamber, for con- 
veying away my child out of my house." Before he had 
been two weeks at the Council Board the necessary ma- 
chinery was set in operation to effect this. 

Chamberlain, referring to Lady Hatton 's plight at this 
time, writes:" *^She lies still at Sir W. Cravens, crazy in 
body and sick in mind. There is a commission to the Lord 
Keeper, the Lord Archbishop, Secretary Winwood, and I 
know not who else, to examine her of conspiracy, disobedi- 
ence, and many other misdemeanors, and to proceed against 
her in some stead for the time; and if she come again to 
herself, it may be that in space there will grow gra'ce. But 
sure, she is in a wrong way now, and so animated towards 
her husband that it is verily thought she would not care to 
ruin herself to overthrow him." 

But though Fortune had averted her face the Lady held 
in reserve a trump card which, to the great discomforture 
of her malignant spouse, she now proceeded to play. 

11 October 11, 1617. 



—17— 

For £20,000 Sir Edward had redeemed the land he had 
allotted to his daughter. The Cormorants had, therefore, 
received from him £30,000 paid down. There was little or 
nothing more to be extracted from him. 

The situation, as it related to his wife's fortune, was 
entirely different. It was desirable that she settle it on 
the bride. What more logical, therefore, than that Lady 
Hatton should be restored to favor? 

''The King coming to town yesterday," writes Cham- 
berlain, ''it was told me that the Earl of Buckingham 
meant to go himself and fetch her, as it were, in pomp from 
Sir William Cravens' (where she hath been so long com- 
mitted) and bring her to the King, who upon a letter of 
her submission is graciously affected towards her. But 
another cause is that seeing her yielding and, as it were, 
won to give allowance to the late marriage, he will give 
her all the 'contentment and countenance he can, in hope 
of the great portion she may bestow on her." 

Shortly after. Lady Hatton gave a royal feast at her 
home at Holborn at which the King was present, and, to 
make it more absolutely her own, she had the exquisite 
pleasure of issuing express commandment that neither Sir 
Edward Coke, nor any of his servants should be admitted. 

"Revenge is sweet, especially to woman." So, at least, 
sang the cynical Byron. 

The subsequent careers of Coke and Bacon are writ 
large on many a page of those celebrated times. Of the 
two ladies M^ho bore, the one actively, the other passively, 
such conspicuous roles in this extraordinary episode in the 
Annals of the House of Coke, not so much is known to the 
world. 

Sir John Villiers, (now Viscount Purbeck) and his wife 
did not, as might have been confidently predicted, get along 
well together. 

She dressed, at home and abroad, in man's attire, and 
swaggered in the Park with sword and plume. 



—18— 

She entered into an unholy alliance with a notorious 
charlatan, one Dr. Lamb, an astrologer and enchanter, who, 
for a suitable consideration, inducted the fair, frail ladies 
of that day into the mysteries of magic and the Seven Arts. 
Him she arranged with to supply her with philters with 
which to cast a spell on her Lord. Charged with working 
her diabolical machinations on him, she assailed the grave 
and venerable judges before whom she was brought with 
ribald jest. Nor was it deemed prudent to proceed 
against her for witchcraft in a criminal tribunal. 

She had, however, eloped with Sir Robert Howard ; and, 
for this offense, having been called into the High Commis- 
sion she was there sentenced to stand in a white sheet in 
the Savoy Church — a punishment which she avoided by 
flight.^^ 



12 This sentence was the usual 
form of penance prescribed by the 
ecclesiastical law in cases of incon- 
tinency: "The sinner is usually in- 
joined to do a publick penance in 
the Cathedral or parish church, or 
public market, barelegged and bare- 
headed, in a white sheet and to 
make an open confession of his 
crime in a prescribed form of 
words." Burn — Ecclesiastical Law, 
Vol. 4, p. 73. See, also, Godolphin, 
Repertorium Canonicum, Appendix, 
p. 18, par. 56. 

Perhaps the best known case in 
English history in which this form 
of penance was imposed is that of 
Jane Shore, to whom many refer- 
ences in the annals and literature 
of her day may be found. She was 
"worshipfully friended, honestly 
brought up, and very well mar- 
ried;" her husband. Shore by name, 
"young and goodly, and of good 
substance." 

Her inclinations, however, had 
not been consulted, and she readily 
swayed to the blandishments of the 
handsome Edward IV. 

"Proper she was and faire:" re- 
cords Speed, "nothing in her body 
that you could have changed, un- 
lesse you would have wished her 
some what higher. . . . Yet de- 



lighted not men so much in her 
beautie, as in her pleasant behav- 
iour, for a proper wit she had, and 
could both reade well and write, 
merry in company, ready and 
quicke of answer, neither mute nor 
full of babble, sometimes taunting 
without displeasure, and not with- 
out disport." 

Hume says that the ascendant 
over the King "which her charms 
and vivacity long maintained, were 
all employed in acts of beneficence 
and humanity. She was still for- 
ward to oppose calumny, to protect 
the oppressed, to relieve the indi- 
gent, and her good offices, the gen- 
uine dictates of her heart, never 
waited the solicitation of presents, 
or the hopes of reciprocal services." 
Sir Thomas More, of immortal mem- 
ory, pays her this splendid tribute: 
He assures us that her influence 
was "never abused to any man's 
hurt, but to many a man's comfort 
and relief." 

After the death of Edward, at the 
instigation of the tyrannical and 
bloodthirsty Duke of Gloucester, 
then Protector, she was summoned 
to answer before the Council for 
sorcery and witchcraft; but as no 
proofs could be adduced against 
her, Gloucester (so writes Speed 



—19^ 

Following her escape she remained quietly with her 
father at Stoke until his death. Emboldened, apparently, 
by the immunity from arrest which she had enjoyed while 
under Sir Edward's roof, ''she lodged herself," says Gar- 
rard, ' * on water side over against Lambeth, I fear, too near 
the Road of the Archbishop's Barge." This scandalous 
defiance of the proprieties resulted in the issuance of a war- 
rant from the Lords of the Council to carry her to the Gate- 
House ''where she will hardly get out, until she have done 
her Penance. "^^* 

Mr. Garrard was a false prophet. Something more than 
a year later, we learn that Lady Purbeck has made her es- 
cape from the Gate house, and that "Sir Robert Howard 
lyes by it still close Prisoner in the Fleet, being so com- 
mitted from the High Commission Court until he shall bring 
her forth ; who being there cannot do it, for he sees nobody ; 
and if he were out, would not do it. ' ' 

A short time afterwards, Sir Robert, after a month's 
close imprisonment, obtained his liberty by giving a two 
thousand Pounds bond "never more to come at the Lady 
Purbeck." "The Lady, I hear, passed in man's cloaths first 
into Jersey, since, she is in France, and there means to 
continue. 



if 



with withering scorn), "as a good won her much praise among those 

continent Prince, cleare and fault- that were more amorous of her 

lesse himself, sent out of Heaven body, than curious of her soule. 

unto this vitious World for the And many good folke, also, that 

amendment of men's manners, after hated her living, and glad to see 

she had laine prisoner in Ludgate, sinne so corrected, yet pittied the 

caused the Bishop of London to more her penance, than rejoiced 

put her to open penance, going be- therein, when they considered that 

fore the Crosse, in procession upon the Protector procured it more of a 

a Sunday, with a Taper in her corrupt intent, than any vertuous 

hand. In which she went in con- affection." 

tenance and pace demure, so wo- r<„„iooi i,;o+^-;„^c, i,o,r« „«+ *on«^ 

manly, and, albeit, shee went out v^^lv.? ?„^i°V 1 ttL n 

of all array, save her Kirtle, onely, h?h 3 \-nHn. ^wi wff^» t^ 

yet went she so faire and lovely, %%^^^' Sasmuch as she swift y 

ItZlI' cisf V'coX'?;rin' her the°rSter"f" med'an'ilHcft c7nnec^ 

people cast a comly rua m her ,. „ ..,, .v,„ n, . <. t-» ^4. 

cheeks (of which, before, she had ^lon with the Marquis of Dorset, 

most mist) that her great shame 12a Garrard. 



—20— 

Subsequently, a messenger was sent to seek her with a 
Privy-Seal from his majesty to summon her into England 
to answer for her transgressions. 

The last reference we find to her and to Sir Robert in 
Garrard's correspondence is under date April 28, 1637: 
'^ Another of my familiar acquaintance is gone over to the 
Popish Religion, Sir Robert Howard, which I am very 
sorry for : my Lady Purbeck left her Country and Religion 
both together, and since he will not leave thinking of her, 
but live in that detestable sin still, let him go to their 
Church for Absolution, for Comfort he can find none in 
ours."" 

Lady Purbeck died comparatively young, leaving a son, 
who being deemed illegitimate, was not permitted to inherit 
the estate and titles of her husband. 

Lady Hatton was never reconciled to her Lord, and it has 
been shrewdly suspected that she thought him an uncon- 
scionably long time in dying. 

The following passage from Garrard to Lord Deputy 
Strafford, written some sixteen or seventeen years after the 
marriage of Lady Frances, is illuminating: **Sir Edward 
Coke was said to be dead, all one morning in Westminster 
Hall this term, insomuch that his wife got her brother, the 
Lord Wimbledon, to post with her to Stoke to get posses- 
sion of that place ; but beyond Colebrook they met with one 
of his physicians coming from him, who told of his much 
amendment, which made them all return to London." 

However, Lady Hatton was finally substantially reward- 
ed for her 'watchful waiting,' for she survived her hus- 
band many years, and, on his death, took possession of his 
house at Stoke Pogis. She was residing there when the 
great Civil War began, and earnestly supported the Par- 
liament against the King. 

13 Extracts from Garrard's letters forde, Vol. I, pp. 390, 426, 434, 447; 
to Strafford in Letters and Dis- Vol. 11, p. 73. 
patches of Thomas, Earl of Straf- 



—21— 

This interesting incident of the period is preserved : On 
the approach of Prince Rupert she fled, leaving behind her 
a letter addressed to him, saying: "I am most heartily 
sorry to fly from this dwelling when I hear your Excellency 
is coming so near it, which, however, with all in and about 
it, is most willingly exposed to your pleasure and accom- 
modation." Then she added; ''The Parliament is the 
only firm foundation of the greatest establishment the King 
or his posterity can wish and attain, and therefore, if you 
should persist in the unhappiness to support any advice to 
break the Parliament upon any pretence whatsoever, you 
shall con'cur to destroy the best ground work for his Majes- 
ty's prosperity."" 

1* See Campbell's Lives of the 
Chief Justices of England, Vol. I, 
p. 286. 



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